Minister Dlodlo Vows To Deal With Bullying In Public Sector ‘Decisively’

Public Service and Administration Minister, Ayanda Dlodlo during the officially launch of the month-long annual, public service programme. PICTURE: Jacques Naude/African News Agency/ANA

JOHANNESBURG: The investigations will start immediately and a report will be tabled to the minister before the end of the financial year.

Minister of Public Service and Administration Ayanda Dlodlo has ordered an investigation into allegations of workplace bullying and unfair treatment of junior employees in the public service.

This follows the publication of a Public Service Commission report earlier this year that details several cases of misconduct and other grievances against senior managers that are not being investigated.

Noting the report with concern, Dlodlo instructed the labour and human resources units of the department to follow up and uncovers cases across the public service sector.

“We are concerned about such allegations of unfair treatment of junior employees. This does not only reflect badly on our disciplinary system as the public service, but it also dampens the morale of these employees and affects workplace productivity and relations,” Dlodlo said in a statement.

“Even though Section 7(3)(b) of the Public Service Act decentralises discipline to respective heads of departments, which makes it difficult for us to detect such cases immediately, we have to make sure that we investigate such incidents and deal with them decisively.”

The investigations will start immediately and a report will be tabled to the minister before the end of the financial year.

In addition, the department said a Technical Assistance Unit for discipline, ethics, and integrity will be established by March 31, to further strengthen the fight against corruption.

“This technical unit, including the strengthening of the enforcement powers for the Public Service Commission, will contribute to the institutionalisation of enforcement mechanisms to combat corruption and to increase accountability across all organs of state, and to also ensure that discipline and integrity are enforced in the Public Service,” the statement read.